ICSI Cycle Preparation: Screening Tests, Stimulation Monitoring and the Retrieval Day

The folder arrives before the first appointment does. Consent forms, a calendar with empty boxes, a list of blood tests with abbreviations nobody explains, and a leaflet with a photograph of a needle finer than a hair hovering beside a cell. For many couples, that folder is the moment a diagnosis of male-factor infertility turns into a plan, and the plan has a name: ICSI.

Good ICSI preparation is less about heroics and more about sequencing. Which tests come first, why the scans happen every couple of days, what the trigger injection is actually doing at two in the morning, and what the retrieval room will look like when you walk in wearing a gown and someone else’s socks.

This explainer walks through that sequence in the order you will live it, sticks to what the evidence supports, and flags the places where the honest answer is still “it depends on your team’s assessment.”

What is ICSI, and how does it differ from standard IVF?

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, is a laboratory technique in which an embryologist picks up one sperm with a microscopic glass needle and places it directly inside an egg. It is not a separate treatment so much as a variation on IVF: everything else about the cycle, from stimulation to embryo transfer, is essentially the same.

The difference sits in a single dish. In conventional IVF, tens of thousands of prepared sperm are placed around each egg and left to find their own way in. In ICSI, the embryologist chooses the sperm, immobilizes it, holds the egg steady with a suction pipette, and injects the sperm through the egg’s outer shell (the zona pellucida) and membrane into the cytoplasm, the jelly-like interior. The whole act takes seconds per egg, but the lab work around it is meticulous.

Why bother with such precision? Because fertilization in a dish requires sperm that can swim, bind to the egg, and penetrate it, and some sperm cannot do one or more of those things. ICSI bypasses those steps entirely. The egg still has to be mature, and the sperm still has to carry intact genetic material, but the mechanics of getting one into the other are handled by a human hand rather than by chance.

According to Cleveland Clinic, fertilization occurs in roughly 50 to 80 percent of eggs injected with ICSI. That figure describes fertilization, not pregnancy; a fertilized egg still has to divide normally, develop into a blastocyst, and implant. Keeping those stages separate in your mind makes the rest of the cycle far easier to interpret.

Who is ICSI usually for, and who is usually asked to wait?

ICSI earns its place when sperm are the limiting factor. The clearest indications, described consistently by the NHS and Mayo Clinic, include a very low sperm count, poor motility (sperm that do not swim well), a high proportion of abnormally shaped sperm, sperm that have been surgically retrieved from the testicle or epididymis, and previous IVF cycles in which eggs failed to fertilize despite adequate sperm numbers.

Frozen or limited sperm samples are another common reason. When a person has stored sperm before cancer treatment, or when a surgical retrieval yields only a handful of usable sperm, ICSI makes the most of what exists. Some teams also use it when eggs have been frozen, because the freezing process can harden the outer shell, or when embryos will undergo genetic testing and stray sperm clinging to the shell could contaminate the sample.

Who is usually asked to wait, or to consider a different route first? People whose semen parameters are within normal ranges are often advised that conventional IVF is a reasonable first choice, since the additional manipulation of ICSI has not been shown to improve outcomes in that group. Anyone with an untreated medical condition that would make anesthesia or pregnancy riskier, an active infection, or a body weight the team considers unsafe for sedation may be asked to address that first.

Male-partner evaluation also matters before committing. A severely low count sometimes has a treatable or genetic cause, and guidance from Mayo Clinic notes that men with very low sperm production may be offered genetic counseling, since some causes can be inherited. The decision on whether and when to proceed rests with your treating team, who weigh the semen results alongside age, ovarian reserve and previous history.

ICSI preparation: which screening tests happen before the cycle begins?

Screening is where ICSI preparation actually starts, usually weeks before the first injection. The purpose is twofold: to make sure treatment is safe, and to gather the information that shapes your stimulation plan.

For the person whose eggs will be retrieved, the standard set typically includes blood tests for ovarian reserve, an ultrasound, and infection screening. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a blood marker produced by small follicles that gives an estimate of how many eggs remain. An antral follicle count is a transvaginal ultrasound tally of those same small, resting follicles at the start of a cycle. Together they help the team predict how the ovaries might respond, though neither predicts egg quality. Thyroid function, a full blood count and rubella immunity are frequently checked as well, because they influence pregnancy health.

Both partners are screened for blood-borne infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. This is not a judgment; it is a laboratory safety requirement wherever gametes and embryos are handled, and it protects other patients’ samples as much as your own.

The uterus gets its own look. A scan checks for fibroids, polyps or fluid in the cavity that could interfere with implantation. Some teams perform a mock transfer or a saline ultrasound to map the cervical canal so the real transfer goes smoothly. If the tubes are suspected to be blocked and swollen (a hydrosalpinx), the team may discuss addressing that first, as the fluid can wash back into the uterus.

Consent conversations belong in this phase too: what happens to unused embryos, whether you want them frozen, and how many you are prepared to transfer. These are easier decisions when made calmly, before hormones and hope are both running high.

How many sperm do you need for ICSI, and how is the sample prepared?

The arithmetic of ICSI is disarmingly simple: one sperm per mature egg. If twelve mature eggs are collected, the embryologist needs twelve suitable sperm. That is why ICSI can work with samples that would be hopeless for conventional IVF, where each egg is surrounded by thousands of swimming sperm.

“Suitable” is the key word. The embryologist looks for sperm that are alive, ideally moving, and reasonably normal in shape under high magnification. When almost no sperm are moving, the lab can use a chemical test that makes live sperm’s tails curl, distinguishing them from dead ones. When a semen sample contains no sperm at all (azoospermia), a surgical retrieval may be discussed: PESA draws fluid from the epididymis with a fine needle, while TESE removes small pieces of testicular tissue that are then searched, sometimes for hours, for individual sperm.

Sample preparation on the day follows a routine you can plan for. Most teams ask for two to seven days without ejaculation beforehand, a range Mayo Clinic describes as standard, because shorter or longer abstinence can shift count and motility. The sample is produced in a private room or, where permitted and pre-arranged, at home and delivered within a set window. The lab then washes the semen to remove fluid and debris, and concentrates the healthiest sperm by spinning it through a density gradient or letting motile sperm swim up into clean medium.

Frozen samples are thawed the same morning. Because freezing damages some sperm, teams often bank more than one sample or keep a fresh sample as backup when counts are marginal. Ask your team which plan applies to you; the answer depends entirely on your semen analysis.

Preparing your body: which lifestyle steps have real evidence?

The internet sells ICSI preparation as a shopping list. The evidence supports something quieter.

Smoking is the clearest target for both partners. The NHS notes that smoking reduces fertility in women and men and lowers the chances of IVF working, and Mayo Clinic advises stopping before treatment begins, since smoking is linked to fewer eggs retrieved and to lower sperm quality. Stopping several weeks in advance gives the body time to respond; sperm take roughly two to three months to develop, so the sample you provide on retrieval day reflects habits from the previous season.

Alcohol and recreational drugs sit in the same category, with mainstream guidance recommending avoidance during treatment. Caffeine is murkier; Mayo Clinic suggests limiting rather than eliminating it.

Folic acid deserves a mention by name, because it is one of the few supplements with strong evidence. The CDC recommends that anyone who could become pregnant take folic acid daily, ideally starting before conception, to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Discuss the form and any prenatal vitamin with your team rather than assembling a regimen from a forum.

Weight is a medical variable, not a moral one. Body weight at either extreme can affect ovarian response, anesthesia safety and pregnancy risk, and your team may set a target before starting. Approach that conversation as you would any other pre-treatment optimization.

Sleep, moderate exercise and stress management help people get through a demanding month, and that is reason enough. What the evidence does not support is the idea that a particular diet, herbal formula or antioxidant blend will rescue a poor sperm sample or transform egg quality within weeks. Spend your energy where the data points: smoke-free, sober, folate-replete, and rested.

What does ovarian stimulation involve, and how do the medicines work?

In a natural cycle the ovaries recruit a group of follicles, the fluid-filled sacs that each contain an egg, and then allow one to win while the others fade. Stimulation rewrites that rule so that several follicles keep growing together.

The workhorses are gonadotropins, injectable hormones that mimic the body’s own follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Given daily under the skin, usually into the abdomen or thigh, they push multiple follicles to mature at once. The NHS describes this phase as typically lasting around 10 to 12 days, though Mayo Clinic gives a wider range of 8 to 14 days depending on how the ovaries respond.

A second class of medicine prevents the body from ovulating too early. In an antagonist protocol, a GnRH antagonist is added partway through stimulation to block the natural surge of luteinizing hormone that would release the eggs before the retrieval. In a longer agonist protocol, a GnRH agonist is started earlier to switch off the pituitary’s signals first. Some plans also include oral contraceptive pills or estrogen beforehand to synchronize the follicles at the starting line. Which protocol you receive depends on your ovarian reserve, previous response and the team’s judgment, and any adjustment during the cycle is the prescribing clinician’s call.

Practical realities shape the experience more than pharmacology. Injections are usually self-administered or given by a partner after a teaching session. Common side effects described by Mayo Clinic include bloating, breast tenderness, mood swings, headaches and bruising at injection sites. Most people keep working through stimulation, though the abdomen can feel heavy in the final days as the ovaries enlarge to several times their usual size.

IVF stimulation monitoring and the trigger shot: what do the scans and blood tests show?

Monitoring is the part of ICSI preparation nobody warns you about: early-morning appointments every two to three days, a transvaginal ultrasound probe, and a needle in the arm before breakfast. Each visit answers two questions. How many follicles are growing, and how fast?

The ultrasound measures follicle diameter in millimeters. Follicles that reach roughly 17 to 20 millimeters are generally considered mature enough to contain a retrievable egg, though not every follicle of that size yields one. The blood test usually measures estradiol, the estrogen produced by growing follicles; rising levels confirm the follicles are active and help the team gauge the risk of overstimulation. Some teams also check progesterone or luteinizing hormone to make sure ovulation is not creeping up early.

The endometrium, the uterine lining, is measured at the same time, since it needs to thicken in step with the follicles if a fresh transfer is planned.

When the lead follicles reach the target range, the team schedules the trigger. The trigger is a single injection, either of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a GnRH agonist, that mimics the body’s natural luteinizing hormone surge and tells the eggs to complete their final maturation and loosen from the follicle wall. Mayo Clinic describes the trigger as given about 34 to 36 hours before retrieval, and the timing is precise because eggs retrieved too early are immature and eggs left too long are released into the pelvis and lost.

That precision is why trigger times are often odd, such as 10:30 at night. Set two alarms, confirm the clock with your nurse, and expect a final blood test the next morning to verify the injection was absorbed.

Egg retrieval day: what happens step by step, and is it painful?

Retrieval day arrives with an early check-in and an empty stomach, since sedation requires fasting for several hours beforehand. You change into a gown, an intravenous line is placed, and the team confirms your identity against the labels that will follow your eggs through the lab.

The procedure itself, described by the NHS as taking around 15 to 20 minutes, is done under sedation or a light general anesthetic. A transvaginal ultrasound probe, the same type used at monitoring scans, is fitted with a fine needle guide. The doctor passes the needle through the vaginal wall into each follicle in turn and gently aspirates the fluid into a warmed tube, which is handed immediately to the embryologist. Under the microscope, each tube is searched for an egg. The number retrieved is often close to the number of mature follicles, but rarely identical.

Is it painful? Under sedation, most people remember nothing of the procedure. Afterward, cramping similar to a strong period, bloating and light spotting are common for a day or two, and the NHS lists these among expected effects. Discomfort is usually managed with simple pain relief your team recommends; anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes avoided around this stage, so ask before taking anything.

Meanwhile, the male partner produces the semen sample, or the frozen or surgically retrieved sperm is prepared. Within a few hours the mature eggs are stripped of their surrounding cells so the embryologist can judge maturity, and ICSI is performed the same afternoon.

Plan for an escort home, a rest day, and loose clothing. Driving, alcohol and important decisions wait until the sedation has fully worn off.

The ICSI timeline: what do the following days and weeks usually look like?

The morning after retrieval brings the fertilization call: how many eggs were mature, how many were injected, and how many show two nuclei, the sign that sperm and egg have combined. From here the embryos are cultured in incubators that mimic the body’s temperature and gas mix, and the lab reports on their progress.

Phase	Typical timing	What is happening
Screening and consent	Weeks before the cycle	Blood tests, ultrasound, semen analysis, infection screening
Ovarian stimulation	About 10 to 12 days (NHS); 8 to 14 days (Mayo Clinic)	Daily injections, scans and blood tests every 2 to 3 days
Trigger to retrieval	About 34 to 36 hours (Mayo Clinic)	Final egg maturation
Egg retrieval	15 to 20 minutes (NHS)	Sedated aspiration of follicles; ICSI performed same day
Embryo culture	2 to 6 days (NHS)	Fertilization check, division, blastocyst formation
Pregnancy test	About 2 weeks after transfer (NHS)	Blood or urine test for hCG

The NHS describes embryos as transferred between two and six days after retrieval, with many teams now preferring the blastocyst stage around day five, when the embryo has around a hundred cells and has shown it can keep developing. Transfer itself is a brief, awake procedure through a thin catheter, similar in feel to a smear test.

Not every cycle ends in a fresh transfer. If estradiol was very high, if the lining was out of step, or if embryos are being genetically tested, the team may freeze everything and transfer in a later, calmer cycle. Progesterone support, given as vaginal preparations or injections, typically continues from retrieval until the pregnancy test to hold the lining stable. The two-week wait that follows is widely reported as the hardest stretch of the whole process, precisely because nothing visible is happening.

What are the risks of stimulation, retrieval and the ICSI procedure itself?

Every stage carries risks worth naming plainly, because informed consent is not the same as reading a form in a waiting room.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is the main concern of the stimulation phase. It occurs when the ovaries over-respond, becoming swollen and leaking fluid into the abdomen. The NHS describes mild OHSS as causing bloating, nausea and abdominal discomfort, while severe cases, which are uncommon, can cause rapid weight gain, shortness of breath, reduced urination and blood clots, and require hospital treatment. People with polycystic ovaries or a high follicle count are at greater risk, which is one reason monitoring is so frequent and why teams sometimes switch the trigger type or freeze all embryos.

Retrieval is a minor surgical procedure with the risks that implies. Mayo Clinic lists bleeding, infection and, rarely, injury to the bowel, bladder or a blood vessel, along with reactions to the sedation. Severe pelvic pain, heavy bleeding or fever afterward are not normal and are covered in the section on when to call.

Multiple pregnancy remains the most significant risk to the eventual baby. Transferring more than one embryo raises the chance of twins or triplets, and the NHS notes that multiple pregnancies carry higher rates of miscarriage, prematurity and low birth weight. Single embryo transfer is the guideline-supported default for many patients.

ICSI adds a few considerations of its own. A small proportion of eggs are damaged during injection. Some studies have reported a slightly higher rate of certain birth defects and sex-chromosome abnormalities in ICSI-conceived children, though it remains unclear how much reflects the procedure and how much reflects the underlying male infertility being treated. Mayo Clinic notes this uncertainty, and it is a fair question to raise with your team, along with genetic counseling where a heritable cause of low sperm count is suspected.

Is IVF with ICSI more successful, and what causes ICSI to fail?

The honest answer to the first question is: it depends on why you are doing it. When sperm quality is the problem, ICSI achieves fertilization where conventional IVF might achieve none, so for that group it is clearly the right tool. When sperm parameters are normal, the evidence does not show that injecting sperm improves the chance of a live birth over letting them fertilize the eggs naturally in the dish. Cleveland Clinic makes the same point: ICSI is most useful for male-factor infertility and is not routinely better in other situations. Success in any cycle is driven mostly by the age of the person providing the eggs, embryo quality and uterine factors, none of which ICSI changes.

What causes ICSI to fail? Failure can happen at several distinct checkpoints, and it helps to know which one applies.

• No or few eggs retrieved. Poor ovarian response, premature ovulation or empty follicles.
• Eggs immature. Only mature eggs, those that have completed their first division, can be injected. Mistimed triggers or intrinsic egg issues reduce that number.
• Fertilization failure. Even with a sperm inside, the egg may not “activate” and begin dividing. Egg quality and, less often, sperm factors are the usual causes.
• Arrested development. Embryos that fertilize but stop growing before day five often carry chromosomal errors.
• Implantation failure. A good-looking embryo may not attach, because of embryo genetics or uterine factors.

A failed cycle is painful but informative. The pattern of where things stalled shapes what your team may propose next, whether that is a different stimulation protocol, a fresh look at the sperm, or genetic testing of embryos. Those choices belong in a follow-up consultation, not in a forum thread.

What people often get wrong about ICSI preparation

“ICSI guarantees fertilization.” It does not. Cleveland Clinic puts fertilization at roughly 50 to 80 percent of injected eggs, and a fertilized egg is only the first hurdle. Expecting every mature egg to become an embryo sets up a hard morning-after phone call.

“More eggs is always better.” Egg number matters, but pushing the ovaries hard raises the risk of OHSS and may lead to a freeze-all cycle rather than a fresh transfer. Teams aim for a safe, sufficient number, not a record.

“Bed rest after retrieval or transfer improves the odds.” There is no good evidence that lying still helps embryos implant, and prolonged inactivity raises clot risk, particularly when estrogen levels are high. Normal gentle activity is the mainstream advice.

“Supplements can fix a bad sperm sample in a few weeks.” Sperm take about two to three months to develop, and the evidence for antioxidant blends improving live birth rates is weak and inconsistent. Stopping smoking and heavy drinking has far stronger support.

“ICSI is a completely different treatment from IVF.” The stimulation, monitoring, retrieval and transfer are the same. Only the fertilization step in the lab differs.

“If the semen analysis is normal, ICSI adds a safety margin.” Large reviews have not found a live-birth benefit from ICSI in couples without male-factor infertility, and the procedure adds handling and a small risk of egg damage. Ask your team why ICSI is being proposed in your case.

“The trigger time is approximate.” It is not. Eggs are retrieved within a narrow window after the trigger, and missing it by hours can mean immature eggs or a cancelled retrieval. Treat that injection time as the most important appointment of the month.

Questions to ask your care team before an ICSI cycle

The best time to ask questions is the planning consultation, when nothing is urgent and nobody is bloated. Bring this list, and write the answers down; recall under stress is unreliable.

• Why is ICSI being recommended for us rather than conventional IVF, and what in our results supports that?
• What do my AMH level and antral follicle count suggest about how many eggs we might expect, and how will that shape the stimulation protocol?
• Which protocol are you proposing, and what would make you change it mid-cycle?
• How often will I be scanned, and what follicle size and blood results are you looking for before the trigger?
• Which type of trigger injection will I have, and why? What is the plan if I appear to be at risk of OHSS?
• Will the sperm sample be fresh, frozen or surgically retrieved, and is there a backup plan if the sample on the day is poor?
• How will you report fertilization, embryo development and grading, and on which days should we expect calls?
• Are you planning a fresh transfer or a freeze-all approach, and what would tip the balance?
• How many embryos would you transfer, and what is your policy on single embryo transfer?
• Is genetic counseling or testing appropriate given the cause of the low sperm count?
• What symptoms after retrieval should prompt an immediate call, and which number do I call out of hours?
• If this cycle does not work, what information will you have that would change the plan next time?

You are entitled to answers in plain language. A team that explains its reasoning is easier to trust through the inevitable uncertain moments, and the act of asking helps you feel like a participant rather than a passenger.

When to call your doctor during or after an ICSI cycle

Most cycles pass with bloating, tender injection sites and tiredness, all of which are expected. A shorter list of symptoms is not expected, and the right response is to call your fertility team or, if they are unavailable, emergency services rather than to wait for the next scheduled scan.

Call promptly if you notice any of the following, which the NHS and Mayo Clinic describe as possible signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or a retrieval complication:

• Severe or rapidly worsening abdominal pain or swelling, especially if your waistband suddenly no longer fits.
• Rapid weight gain over a day or two.
• Persistent nausea or vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down.
• Passing much less urine than usual, or very dark urine.
• Shortness of breath, chest pain, or a painful, swollen leg, which can signal fluid around the lungs or a blood clot.
• Heavy vaginal bleeding after retrieval, meaning soaking through pads hourly.
• Fever, chills, or foul-smelling discharge after retrieval, which may indicate infection.
• Dizziness, fainting or a racing heartbeat.

Also call if you develop a severe reaction at an injection site, if you have missed or mistimed a dose of any medicine, especially the trigger, or if you are unsure whether a symptom is normal. Fertility units expect these calls; a nurse would far rather reassure you at midnight than see you in an emergency department the next day.

After a positive pregnancy test, sharp one-sided pelvic pain or shoulder-tip pain with bleeding needs urgent assessment, as ectopic pregnancy remains possible after any assisted conception. Whatever the symptom, the decision about what to do next belongs with the clinicians who know your cycle, your results and your history.

Frequently asked questions

How many sperm do you need for ICSI?

In principle, one live sperm for each mature egg retrieved. That is why ICSI is used for very low counts, poor motility and surgically retrieved sperm, where a conventional IVF dish would contain far too few sperm. The embryologist selects sperm that are alive and as normally shaped as possible. When a sample contains no sperm at all, surgical retrieval from the epididymis or testicle may be discussed with your team beforehand.

Is IVF ICSI painful?

The egg retrieval is done under sedation or light general anesthesia, so most people feel nothing during the 15 to 20 minute procedure itself. Afterward, period-like cramping, bloating and light spotting for a day or two are common. Daily stimulation injections cause brief stinging and occasional bruising. The embryo transfer is usually done awake and feels similar to a cervical screening test. Persistent or severe pain is not expected and should be reported.

Is IVF with ICSI more successful than standard IVF?

Only when sperm are the problem. For male-factor infertility, ICSI achieves fertilization that conventional IVF may not. When semen parameters are normal, evidence has not shown that ICSI improves live birth rates, and Cleveland Clinic notes it is not routinely better outside male-factor cases. Overall success depends far more on the age of the person providing eggs, embryo quality and uterine health than on the fertilization method.

What causes ICSI to fail?

Failure can occur at any of several checkpoints: too few eggs retrieved, eggs that are immature and cannot be injected, injected eggs that do not activate and divide, embryos that stop developing before the blastocyst stage, or good-quality embryos that do not implant. Egg quality, which is strongly linked to age, is the most common underlying factor. Knowing where a cycle stalled helps your team decide what to change next time.

What does egg retrieval day involve from start to finish?

You arrive fasted, change into a gown, and have an intravenous line placed for sedation. Using ultrasound guidance, the doctor passes a fine needle through the vaginal wall into each follicle and draws off the fluid, which is checked immediately for eggs. The NHS gives a typical procedure time of 15 to 20 minutes. You rest for an hour or two, then go home with an escort while the lab performs ICSI that afternoon.

How long does ICSI preparation take before the injections start?

Screening usually takes several weeks, because blood tests, an ultrasound, a semen analysis and infection screening need to be completed and reviewed, and consent forms signed, before a protocol is chosen. Some teams also synchronize the cycle with oral medicines beforehand. Once injections begin, the NHS describes stimulation as typically lasting around 10 to 12 days before the trigger and retrieval. Your team will give you a personalized calendar.

What is the ICSI procedure step by step in the laboratory?

After retrieval, the embryologist removes the cloud of cells around each egg and checks which are mature. Prepared sperm are placed in a viscous medium to slow them, and one is chosen, immobilized by pressing its tail, and drawn into a fine glass needle. The egg is held by gentle suction while the needle passes through its outer shell and membrane to deposit the sperm inside. Fertilization is checked the following morning.

What does IVF stimulation monitoring measure, and how often is it done?

Monitoring combines a transvaginal ultrasound to count and measure follicles in millimeters with a blood test, usually for estradiol, to confirm the follicles are active and to gauge overstimulation risk. Visits typically happen every two to three days once follicles begin growing, becoming more frequent near the end. The lining of the uterus is measured at the same time. Results guide any protocol adjustments and the trigger timing, decisions made by your prescribing clinician.

Should I rest in bed after egg retrieval or embryo transfer?

No. Mainstream guidance does not support bed rest after either procedure, and there is no good evidence that lying still helps embryos implant. Prolonged inactivity may raise the risk of blood clots, particularly when estrogen levels are high after stimulation. Take the rest of retrieval day easy while sedation wears off, then return to normal gentle activity. Avoid strenuous exercise while the ovaries remain enlarged, and follow your team’s specific advice.

Are children conceived through ICSI at higher risk of health problems?

Some studies have reported a slightly higher rate of certain birth defects and sex-chromosome abnormalities in children conceived with ICSI compared with natural conception. Mayo Clinic notes it remains unclear how much reflects the procedure and how much reflects the underlying male infertility being treated, since some causes of very low sperm count are genetic. Genetic counseling is worth discussing with your team when a heritable cause is suspected.

References

• NHS – IVF: What happens
• NHS – IVF: Risks
• MedlinePlus – In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• CDC – Folic Acid Recommendations

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.